Laurie Colquhoun - a Eulogy

This eulogy was delivered by Rosemary Curtis at the funeral service last Thursday, and will be repeated at today's service in Perth:

Laurence Colquhoun 1940-2011

A famous writer once said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” If that is true then Laurie made a great life.

Laurie was born in Doune on 16th April 1940, the youngest or four. He grew up in Braco, where he attended the village primary school and later Morrison's Academy in Crieff, and during that time he was a member of the Life Boys and Boys’ Brigade. On leaving school he started as a trainee gardener at Braco Castle with the view to following a career. Unfortunately his legs were badly burned when he was blown out of a potting shed. So that idea was quickly nipped in the bud - if you’ll pardon the pun!

In 1956 he joined the ATC where he thoroughly enjoyed the discipline, training and flying lessons - not to mention cutting a dash in the uniform. He worked, firstly for a grocer in Blackford and then for Cape Insulation, Stirling.

In 1966 Laurie met Jessie at a dance. Jessie’s brother, who was at school with Laurie, told Jessie to ask Laurie for the ladies’ chosen as he was feeling a bit down after breaking up with his girlfriend. I’m sure the fact that Laurie had a nice blue sport car is irrelevant in what followed. Jessie and Laurie were married 1968. It was the start of a very happy 42 years of marriage.

After they were married they set about building a wooden A-frame house in the village of Braco. Once that was completed they decided to go into business for themselves as L&J Colquhoun. They were contracted by a Scandinavian firm, Finlog, to build holiday chalets in various locations around Scotland. This is where the Kilchoan connection came in, because they were involved in the construction of the Kilchoan chalets on the Old Golf Course - and the rest is history.

They set up home in Kilchoan in 1973 and Laurie started making sheds, garden furniture, stools, coffee tables and so on. I think that just about everyone on West Ardnamurchan has one of Laurie’s creations somewhere at home. Jessie went back to nursing and, as if that wasn't enough, they started offering Bed & Breakfast accommodation. Laurie meanwhile took up working as a lighthouse keeper, which he did for seventeen years. He was a Scottish Ambulance Service car driver for eight years, a school bus driver for eighteen years, a member of HM Coastguard for twenty years, twelve of them as Station Officer – and we mustn’t forget that he was Kilchoan F C’s groundsman. It’s safe to say that Laurie was a workaholic.

He loved the sea and messing about in his boat, fishing, and he enjoyed a wee gin and tonic. He also loved nothing better than going off with his faithful friend Shadow and his loving wife Jessie to spend a few days at their caravan in Lossiemouth.

They say that behind every good woman there is a good man. How right that is! Laurie and Jessie worked as a great team in their many jobs over many years in the community. Laurie was so proud of Jessie when she won the ‘Scottish Nurse of the Year’ award in 2009. During Laurie’s illness he couldn't praise Jessie, Carolyn and his friends highly enough for the help and support that allowed him to stay at home.

Although he passed away far too soon, at least we know that he lived the life he loved and loved the life he lived. Of course he wasn't perfect - he had his moments like all of us do - but he would be first to lend a helping hand when or wherever it was needed. His good nature and sense of humour will be missed by all of us.

Our thoughts are with Jessie and Shadow at this sad time.

Laurie – thank you for being part of our lives. We are all going to miss you.